The Globe Advisor carried an interview with the head of Visa’s mobile product innovation last week, the interviewee talking passionately about the coming of Visa’s NFC payment technology to Canada.
Near Field Communication is nothing new of course. But this interview came on the heels of Visa certifying phones for secure NFC payment – just in time for some European countries to activate their rollout plans.
In North America, if you have a new credit card, you probably have an NFC chip in it already – but this new buzz is about the chip in your phone, not in your credit card.
Your new smartphone (iPhone 4S, Galaxy Nexus, Blackberry 9900 et al) has been supplied by the manufacturer with an NFC chip, in anticipation of the technology going global.
And as hinted in the interview, this has profound implications for the already turbulent advertising industry.
The crux is this – NFC technology allows each retail point to establish a one-on-one contact with its consumer. If this was his credit card it would not matter so much – but the contact with the phone allows the retailer, on receiving consent, to interact with the consumer on the single device of convergence that he finds irreplaceable in his daily life.
Let’s say I walk into DQ, pay for a Blizzard with my smartphone and, when prompted by a message, agree to receive relevant information about DQ products. And let’s say DQ is one of those enlightened marketers who use social media for more than pushing discount offers.
So the next week when I am driving past a mall around lunchtime, I get a message that tells me about a new mini-Blizzard flavour that would be perfect for a snack. Once I walk into the vicinity, I am automatically ‘four-squared’ and Congratulations !!!! As the new mayor of the restaurant I have won...
The news of my win and interesting tidbits from my profile go up on DQ’s Facebook page and as a mini-celebrity I am invited by Cineplex to a pre-screening of Scorsese’s latest movie where DQ is sponsoring the complimentary snacks and beverages.
The DQ branch manager greets me personally and tells me of this amazing bike path I may like – while the anonymous kid making my Blizzard already knows that I love a double-helping of chocolate.
The look of bliss on my face when eating the first spoon of the Blizzard is clicked by an intrepid server who sends me the photo as a private message, which of course I immediately Instagram with a self-conscious laugh, tagged for all my friends and DQ’s fans to find.
By the time I finish my Blizzard, I have received invites to join two groups (sponsored by DQ) whose members believe that the best way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon is having a BBQ with their peeps.
I have a meeting to go to, so I’m out of there. Except for a Twitter message from the DQ branch manager a couple of hours later, asking how the service had been. I rant a bit about the loo not being as clean as I would like, which he publishes on DQ’s stream with an apology and a promise to exceed expectations in the future.
Now tell me, do I need a TV ad to tell me that I should eat at DQ, ever again?
